Principals from across the country are using a little elbow grease to make life at one Baltimore school a little better.

The National Association of Elementary School Principals Conference is in town this week, but before getting down to business, more than 50 of those school principals are helping build a brand new playground for students at John Ruhrah Elementary-Middle School in southeast Baltimore.

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"I can't explain what a wonderful feeling it is that they would come from all over the country to help my school. My parents are so appreciative of their dedication to public school kids, and we're just thrilled," said John Ruhrah's principal, Mary Donnelly.

For the past several years, the principals have kicked off their annual conference with a community service project. They hope the new playground will provide students with a fun way to get and stay physically fit.

"We know as educators that when you take care of the physical, that certainly helps the mental and academic, and we hope the structure of this playground and the children using it for years to come will benefit them academically, as well," said Nancy Meador, a principal from Nashville.

Donnelly said the school's old playground equipment was out-of-date and borderline unsafe at times. It was taken out in May to make room for new state-of-the-art safe equipment with climbing walls, slides and spinning structures.

One of the cool things about the playground is that it has inclusive features, which means it is accessible for children with disabilities.

"It basically has a transfer station on it. It allows children in a wheelchair to be able to transfer onto the structure and to be able to use the equipment side by side with their peers," said Steve Hare of Landscape Structures.

The students and staff couldn't be more excited to have the new playground for the school and for the entire community to enjoy.

"It's a gathering place for the community. When the old playground was up here, this playground in nice weather was filled with parents with their kids, and they'd be talking to each other and making friendships and making connections. So, it's a real important part of the community," Donnelly said.